For more than two decades, Tammy Torrance has encouraged students at Holy Rosary High School to explore their creativity and share their God-given gifts with confidence.
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Now, the longtime art educator is being recognized for doing just that.
Torrance is the 2026 recipient of the CCSSA Excellence in Catholic Education Award, an honour presented annually to a teacher whose impact extends beyond the classroom and reflects a deep commitment to Catholic education.
The award recognizes educators who foster academic growth while nurturing students spiritually and personally through faith, compassion and leadership.
Torrance, a core member of Holy Rosary’s Practical and Applied Arts (PAA) team, began teaching at the school more than 20 years ago. Over that time, she has helped shape and expand its graphic arts, visual arts and photography programming, drawing students into spaces where creativity and confidence can flourish.
Despite the recognition, Torrance described the honour as unexpected.
“It’s unexpected. I’m very low-key,” she said. “I don’t like being in the limelight, and I’m not a big ‘thanks’ person. I just think, let’s do this again tomorrow — and again and again.”
She was quick to credit others for the success of her program.
“The amount of people we help — we all help them. It’s everyone working together,” said Torrance. “There are lots of good ideas from lots of people, students included. So, thank you for recognizing me, but it’s not just me.”
Beyond her scheduled classes, Torrance created and continues to lead the school’s Art Club, often spending after-school hours and weekends in the PAA area with students who want additional opportunities to create and connect.
School officials say her dedication reflects the broader mission of Catholic education — to nurture the whole child and create an environment where faith and learning grow together.
For Torrance, the passage of time has been hard to grasp.
“I just said to a student yesterday that I feel like I’ve only been here maybe three years,” she said. “Time goes by so quickly.”
Despite 20 years in the classroom, she said her enthusiasm has not waned.
“I feel just as energetic and enthusiastic about teaching in the Catholic faith and being here at Holy Rosary as I did when I first started.”
Part of that energy, she said, comes from the nature of teaching art.
“It’s huge. I’m so fortunate to teach art because nothing ever has to stay the same,” said Torrance. “I can change projects. I can change key points. I don’t have to teach the exact same thing every year.”
She credits school administration for supporting new ideas and providing materials that allow students to explore different mediums. She pointed to recent clay faith projects that were displayed in shadow boxes and shared with bishops as one example of how creative ideas are embraced.
“I come up with an idea and I get more yeses than noes,” she said. “Everyone is on board with the curious, strange and unique ideas that come up.”
Asked what continues to bring her back to the classroom each day with a smile, Torrance’s answer was simple.
“Maybe it’s just my heart,” she said. “I feel like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. I’m so grateful to be here at Holy Rosary and in our division. This is home for me.”
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